Fiber board coffin



30, 1965 R. E- CONNELLY 3,220,080

FIBER BOARD COFFIN Filed April 10, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Paert f fame/(y JWW/ {m ATTORNEY R. E. CONNELLY FIBER BOARD COFFIN Nqv. 30, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 10, 1962 I I m/d... H

INVENTOR Fwy/ 27 f [awe/[y ATTORNEY 3,220,080 FIBER BOARD COFFIN Robert E. Connelly, Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pa., assignor to Connelly Containers, Inc, Bala-Cynwyd, Pa.

Filed Apr. 10, 1962, Ser. No. 186,448 Claims. (Cl. 27-2) The present invention relates to coffins, and more particularly to cofiins made of fiber board.

Because a number of people are today living at or close to the minimum subsistence level, an unusual or large expense is an extreme burden to them. Inevitably, however, these people are faced with the unavoidable expense of providing a decent funeral for their deceased relatives and friends. In these circumstances, it is desirable to provide the necessary services with suitable propriety in accordance with custom, While keeping the total cost as low as possible.

One element of cost which enters into ordinary funerals, that is, those in which the body is buried and not cremated, is the cost of the casket or coflin. At the present time, these vary in price from the extremely sumptuous and ornate to the extremely simple, unadorned wooden construction. While these less costly wooden coffins have met with acceptance, of necessity, the cost of even these cofiins is so high as to work an undue hardship on people in the lower economic levels.

It may also be noted that even the simple wooden coflins are not to any degree of a pleasant appearance, but are instead rough and unseemly in appearance.

To provide more economical cofiins, it has been suggested that they be made of certain paper products, such as fiber board. While such proposals were made many years ago, fiber board coffins have not met with acceptance and are not today in use because of deficiencies in construction. In one prior proposal, a coffin was made of fiber board formed of corrugated layers between planar layers, and was provided with various braces because the fiber board, even though in multiple layers, was not sufficiently strong. Also, the construction was such that a relatively deep, high-walled coffin was provided which obstructed the View of the body, rather than permitting the body to be seen.

In another proposal, the cofiin was made of a plurality of blanks of fiber board which were cut out, placed together and secured to each other by adhesives. In this construction, also, the coffin had relatively high side walls preventing viewing, and this fact, together with the fact that two blanks were needed for each coffin, not including the cover, rendered this construction unsatisfactory; it was more costly than necessary, and did not provide a cofiin which would suitably permit the viewing of a body therein.

One of the factors involved in the cost of a coffin as delivered to the funeral director, is that of transportation, and the charge for transportation is dependent, in part, upon the volume of the articles being transported. The prior suggested coffins utilizing the more economical fiber board construction were necessarily completely assembled at the point of manufacture, and it was impossible for these coffins to be shipped in a disassembled, flat or knocked down state, so that the cost of transportation would be lessened.

An object of the present invention is to provide a coffin which is economical.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a cofiin made of low cost materials.

Yet another object of the present invention is to pro vide a coffin which may be delivered to the area in which it is to be used at an extremely economical cost.

United States Patent O 3,220,080 Patented Nov. 30, 1965 A further object of the present invention is the provi sion of a coffin which may be shipped in disassembled form.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a coflin which, while economical, is of strong construction and seemly appearance.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an economical coffin in which a body may be placed and may be seen by those who wish to view it and pay their respects.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an economical coffin in which a minimum amount of securing devices are necessary.

Yet another object is the provision of a coffin construction in which the securing bolts for the coffin hardware serves double purposes.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following specification and drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a coffin in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the bottom of the coffin of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view looking into the interior of the bottom of the coffin of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1, and showing the fiber board of which the cofiin is made.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional View taken on the line 55 of FIG. 1, through a securing bolt.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 66 of FIG. 1 through a handle of the coffin bottom.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 77 of FIG. 1 through a latch of the coffin.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 88 of FIG. 1, and showing a cofiin lid securing bolt.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view looking upwardly into the coffin lid.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like or corresponding parts are designated by corresponding reference numerals throughout the several views, there is shown in FIG. 1 a cofiin generally designated 10 and comprising a lid or top 11 and a bottom 20.

Bottom 20, as may be seen in FIG. 2, is provided on the sides thereof with handles 21 and with latch parts 22. Referring to FIG. 3, it may be seen that the bottom 20 has a planar bottom wall 23 of rectangular plan form, integral side walls 24 and 26, and integral end walls 25 and 27. The side walls and end walls extend upwardly from bottom Wall 23 at right angles to it. Each of the end walls 25 and 27 rises upwardly to a greater height than do the side walls 24 and 26, and the end walls 25 and 27 have integral flaps 29 and 31 which extend along and inwardly of the adjacent side walls 24 and 26, the length of each flap 29, 31 being equal to the height of the side walls 24, 26. The flaps 29 and 31 are of the same height as the end walls 25 and 27, and have free vertically extending edges 32 and 33 opposite the juncture of each flap with its end wall. These edges 32 and 33, on each side of the cofiin, are in spaced apart relationship along the cofiin side, and separate panels 34 and 36 are provided which extend inwardly of and adjacent the side walls 24 and 26, respectively. The panels 34 and 36 are coplanar with the flaps 29 and 31 on each side of the cofiin bottom 20. The upper edges 35 and 37 of the panels 34 and 36 lie in the same plane as the upper edges of the end walls 25 and 27 and flaps 29 and 31, and these panels 34 and 36 extend downwardly inside the side Walls 24 and 26 a suitable distance below the upper edges of the side Walls.

The upper edge of side wall 24, designated 28, con stitutes a rim, and the flaps 29 and 31 and the separate panel 34 together constitute a flange extending above the rim 28.

In order to provide a coffin which is sufficiently strong, while still being economical, the fiber board of which the coffin top 11 and bottom 20 are made is an extremely strong and durable fiber board made of four planar sheets 41, 43, 45 and 47, between which are corrugated layers 42, 44 and 46, as may be seen in FIG. 4. This fiber board, in addition to being strong and economical, may be made waterproof by being treated with known substances, and may be suitably decorated at a minimal cost in order to provide a seernly and dignified appearance. For example, the exterior of the coffin top 11 and bottom 20, as well as the interior, as desired, may have applied thereto a coating of flocking, and this may be in any color. The flocking gives to the coflin an appearance of softness, which is pleasing and unoifending. Also, the fiber board may have placed thereon a design simulating wood grain, the techniques for which are known. It will be understood that the coflin construction shown in FIG. 4 is that which is used in the cofim of the present invention, the showing in the other figures being simplified.

In FIG. 5 there is shown the bottom wall 23 of the coffin bottom 20, with integral upstanding side wall 24, with its upper edge or rim 28. The flap 29 may be seen to lie against the inner side of side wall 24, and to be secured thereto by a bolt 51 having washers 52 and 53 and a nut 54 thereon. As may be understood from FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, there are required only four of the bolts 51. Also in FIG. 5 there may be seen the coffin top 11 resting on the rim 28.

In order to effect economy in construction, as few bolts as possible are used, and as shown in FIG. 6 many bolts are utilized to serve a double purpose. FIG. 6 shows the side wall 24 and the flap 29 adjacent to it, with the lifting handle 21, the plate 55 of which is held to the coflin bottom 20 by the two bolts 56, with their nuts 57. The bolts 56 not only hold the handle plate 55 to the side of the carton bottom 20, but in addition serve to further secure the flap 29 to the side wall 24. Referring to FIG. 3, it will be noted that the other two bolts 58 extend through the side wall 24 and through the panel 34, so that they assist in holding the panel 34 to the side wall 24.

In similar fashion, as shown in FIG. 7, bolts 61 for the lower part of the latch 22 extend through the side wall 24 and the panel 34 to thereby both secure the lower part of latch 22 to the coflin and to assemble the panel 34 to side wall 24. The upper part 62 of the latch 22 is secured by bolts 63 to the coffin top 11, and these bolts 63 have thin nuts 64 thereon to thereby permit the lid to pass downwardly past the panel 34 and to avoid an interference between panel 34 and the bolts 63.

As may be seen in FIG. 9, the coflin top or lid 11 comprises a top wall 12 with integral depending side walls 13 and 15 and integral depending end walls 14 and 16, the side walls and end walls being of the same depth. The side walls 13 and 15 have flaps 17, and as may be seen in FIG. 8, the flap 17 is held to the adjacent end wall 16 by a bolt 72 which passes therethrough and is held by a nut 73 and washer 74. As may be seen in FIG. 8, the length of the top wall 12 is sufficient to permit the head of bolt 72 to clear the end wall 25 of the cofiin bottom.

There are four bolts 72, as shown in FIG. 9, which also shows the upper parts 62 of the latches, and on side wall 13 the thin nuts 64 for holding the bolts 63.

The coflin may be made from two blanks, one for the top 11 and one for the bottom 20, these blanks being rectangular so as to be economical of material. The blanks are provided with the necessary holes for the various bolts, and may be shipped in flat or unassembled condition, after having been suitably decorated as hereinabove set forth. This will save substantially on transportation cost. Of course, all the necessary hardware, bolts and the separate panels 34 and 36 are shipped at the same time, and assembly may be made with the simplest tools.

These cofiins lend themselves to suitable interior finishing by the addition of padding, lining, etc. This interior finishing may be effected either prior to or subsequent to shipping, and of course the hardware such as handles 21 and the latches 22 may be assembled to the cofiin 10 either prior to or subsequent to shipment.

As is best shown in FIG. 2, the appearance of coflin bottom 20 is regular, since panel 34, together with the flaps 29 and 31 form a continuous rim of even and uniform height extending above the upper edge of the side wall of the carton. The side walls of cofiin 20 are relatively low, so that when the coffin is in use with the top thereof removed and the remains of a deceased are on display, those remains may be readily viewed. It will be observed, in this connection, as shown in FIG. 4, that the side 15 of the coffin top or lid 11 has the lower edge thereof in engagement with the upper edge 28 of side wall 24 of the carton bottom 20, and that the top Wall 12 is thereby held considerably above the upper edge of flap 31, so as to readily accommodate the body within the coflin when the top is placed thereon as in FIG. 1. This is due to the fact that the side walls 15 and 13 and end walls 14 and 16 of the coffin top 11 have substantially greater depth than the height of the flaps 29 and 31 and panels 34 and 36 above the rim 28.

The latches and handles are of economical construction, and are sufliciently strong to perform their necessary functions. Also, the fiber board of which the carton of the present invention is made is sufiiciently strong to withstand the loads imposed'upon it by the bolts of the handles, so that these bolts will not cause an elongation of the bolt holes through which they extend, even if a large part of the total weight of the coffin is supported by only one handle.

There has been provided a coffin which is of economical material and construction, but which is at the same time suitably pleasing in appearance. The coffin of the present invention may be shipped at considerably lower cost than cofiins are currently shipped, due to reduction in both weight and, most importantly, in volume. The reduction in volume obtained by the present carton stems from the ability of the coffin to be shipped in a disassembled or flat condition, thereby occupying less space than would otherwise be the case. Further, the coflin of the present invention requires a minimum amount of hardware, and utilizes dual functioning of most of the securing bolts thereof to both secure hardware to the cofiin and to secure parts of the cofiin together. Further, the coflin of the present invention is so constructed that the remains of a deceased placed therein may be readily viewed without the mourner having to look directly downwardly into the coflin.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore the invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification but'only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A coflin made of fiber board comprising a bottom and a top, said bottom having a planar bottom wall of rectangular plan form having integral side walls and end Walls extending upwardly therefrom and at right angles thereto, each said end wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall to a greater height than said side walls, said end walls each having an integral flap at each end thereof extending therefrom along and inwardly of the adjacent side wall, each said flap being of the same height as said end walls and of length substantially equal to the height of the side walls, said flaps having vertically extending free edges at the ends thereof remote from the connection of the flap to the end wall with which it is integral, the free vertical edges of the flaps on each side of the coflin being in spaced apart relationship, a separate panel extending along and inwardly of each side wall, each said panel being coplanar with the flaps on that side of the coflin, said panels having upper edges lying in the same plane as the upper edges of the end walls and flaps, said panels extending downwardly inside the side walls below the upper edges thereof, said upper edges of said side walls constituting rims and said flaps and panels constituting flanges inwardly of said rims, a pair of handles on each side of said coflin, bolts extending through the walls of said coflin securing said handles thereon, at least one bolt of each said handle extending through a side wall and the flap thereadjacent, and at least one other bolt of the handle extending through the side wall and the panel thereadjacent, latch means, bolts securing said latch means to said coffin, each said latch means having a part thereof secured to the cofiin bottom by a said last mentioned bolt extending through a side wall and the adjacent panel, and a top for said coflin bottom comprising a top wall and downwardly extending side and end walls, the side walls of said top being bounded by lower edges in abutting relationship with the rim provided by the upper edge of the cofi'in bottom side walls, said coffin top end and side walls having substantially greater depth than the height of the flaps and panels of the cofiin bottom which extend above said rims, whereby said top wall is spaced substantially above said flanges.

2. A coflin made of fiber board comprising a bottom and a top, said bottom having a planar bottom wall of rectangular plan form having integral side walls and end walls extending upwardly therefrom and at right angles thereto, each said end wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall to a greater height than said side walls, said end walls each having an integral flap at each tend thereof extending therefrom along and inwardly of the adjacent side wall, each said flap being of the same height as said end walls and of length substantially equal to the height of the side walls, said flaps having vertically extending free edges at the ends thereof remote from the connection of the flap to the end wall with which it is integral, the free vertical edges of the flaps on each side of the coffin being in spaced apart relationship, a separate panel extending along and inwardly of each side wall, each said panel being coplanar with the flaps on that side of the coffin, said panels having upper edges lying in the same plane as the upper edges of the end walls and flaps, said panels extending downwardly inside the side walls below the upper edges thereof, said upper edges of said side walls constituting rims and said flaps and panels constituting flanges inwardly of said rims, a pair of handles on each side of said coflin, bolts extending through the walls of said coflin securing said handles thereon, at least one bolt of each said handle extending through a side wall and the flap thereadjacent, and at least one other bolt of the handle extending through the side wall and the panel thereadjacent, and a top for said coflin bottom comprising a top wall and downwardly extending side and end walls, the side walls of said top being bounded by lower edges in abutting relationship with the rim provided by the upper edge of the coflin bottom side walls, said cofiin top end and side walls having substantially greater depth than the height of the flaps and panels of the coffin bottom which extend above said rims, whereby said top wall is spaced substantially above said flanges.

' 3. A coflin made of fiber board comprising a bottom and a top, said bottom having a planar bottom wall of rectangular plan form having integral side walls and end walls extending upwardly therefrom and at right angles thereto, each said end wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall to a greater height than said side walls, said end walls each having an integral flap at each end thereof extending therefrom along and inwardly of the adjacent side wall, each said flap being of the same height as said end walls and of length substantially equal to the height of the side walls, said flaps having vertically extending free edges at the ends thereof remote from the connection of the flap to the end wall with which it is integral, the free vertical edges of the flaps on each side of the coffin being in spaced apart relationship, means for holding said flaps against said adjacent side walls, a separate panel extending along and inwardly of each side wall, each said panel being coplanar with the flaps on that side of the coflin, said panels having upper edges lying in the same plane as the upper edges of the end walls and flaps, said panels extending downwardly inside the side walls below the upper edges thereof, said upper edges of said side walls constituting rims and said flaps and panels constituting flanges inwardly of said rims, latch means, bolts securing said latch means to said coffin, each said latch means having a part thereof secured to the coflin bottom by bolts extending through a side wall and the adjacent panel, and a top for said coffin bottom comprising a top wall and downwardly extending side and end walls, the side walls of said top being bounded by lower edges in abutting relationship with the rim provided by the upper edge of the coflin bottom side walls, said coffin top end and side walls having substantially greater depth than the height of the flaps and panels of the coffin bottom which extend above said rims, whereby said top wall is spaced substantially above said flanges.

4. A cofiin made of fiber board comprising a bottom and a top, said bottom having a planar bottom wall of rectangular plan form having integral side walls and end walls extending upwardly therefrom and at right angles thereto, each said end wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall to a greater height than said side walls, said end walls each having an integral flap at each end thereof extending therefrom along and inwardly of the adjacent side wall, said flaps being of the same height as said end walls and of length substantially equal to the height of the side walls, said flaps having vertically extending free edges at the ends thereof remote from the connection of the flap to the end wall with which it is integral, the free vertical edges of the flaps on each side of the coflin being in spaced apart relationship, a separate panel extending along and inwardly of each side wall, each said panel being coplanar with the flaps on that side of the cofiin, said panels having upper edges lying in the same plane as the upper edges of the end walls and flaps, said panels extending downwardly inside the side walls below the upper edges thereof, said upper edge of said side walls constituting rims and said flaps and panels constituting flanges inwardly of said rims, hardware secured on said coffin, bolts extending through at least some of the hardware, the side walls of said coflin bottom and said flange thereadjacent to thereby secure said flange to said side wall, and a top for said coflin bottom comprising a top wall and downwardly extending side and end walls, the side walls of said top being bounded by lower edges in abutting relationship with the rim provided by the upper edge of the coflin bottom side walls, said coflin top end and side walls having substantially greater depth than the height of the flaps and panels of the coflin bottom which extend above said rims, whereby said top wall is spaced substantially above said flanges.

5. A cofiin made of fiber board comprising a bottom and a top, said bottom having a planar bottom wall of rectangular plan form having integral side walls and end walls extending upwardly therefrom and at right angles thereto, each said end wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall to a greater height than said side walls, said end walls each having an integral flap at each end thereof extending therefrom along and inwardly of the adjacent side wall, each said flap being of the same height as said end walls and of length substantially equal to the height of the side walls, said flaps having vertically extending free edges at the ends thereof remote from the connection of the flap to the end wall with which it is integral, the free vertical edges of the flaps on each side of the coffin being in spaced apart relationship,

means for holding said flaps against said adjacent side walls, a separate panel extending along and inwardly of each side wall, means securing each said panel coplanar with the flaps on that side of the coffin, said panels having upper edges lying in the same plane as the upper edges of the end walls and flaps, said panels extending downwardly inside the side walls below the upper edges thereof, said upper edges of said side walls constituting rims and said flaps and panels constituting flanges inwardly of said rims, and a top for said coflin bottom comprising a top wall and downwardly extending side and end walls, the side walls of said top being bounded by lower edges in abutting relationship with the rim provided by the upper edge of the cofiin bottom side walls, said coffin top end and side walls having substantially greater depth than the height of the flaps and panels of the coflin body which extend above said rims, whereby said top wall is spaced substantially above said flanges.

6. A with bottom made of fiber board, said bottom having a planar bottom wall having integral side walls and end walls extending upwardly therefrom and at right angles thereto, each said end wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall to a greater height than said side walls, said end walls each having an integral flap at each end thereof extending therefrom along and inwardly of the adjacent side wall, each said flap being of the same height as said end walls, said flaps having vertically extending free edges at the ends thereof remote from the connection of the flap to the end wall with which it is integral, the free vertical edges of the flaps on each side of the coffin being in spaced apart relationship, means for holding said flaps against said adjacent side walls, a separate panel extending along and inwardly of each side Wall, means securing each said panel coplanar with the flaps on that side of the coflin, said panels having upper edges lying in the same plane as the upper edges of the end walls and flaps, said panels extending downwardly inside the side walls below the upper edges thereof, said upper edges of said side walls constituting rims and said flaps and panels constituting flanges inwardly of said rims.

7. A fiber board cofiin comprising a bottom and a top, said bottom having a bottom wall and integral upstanding side and end walls, said side walls each comprising a rim extending therealong parallel to said bottom wall and between and below the top of said end walls, and flange means inwardly of said rims, said flange means each extending between said end walls and having an upper boundary parallel to said rim at the level of the tops of said end walls, each said flange means comprising a pair of flaps each integral with one of said end walls of length substantiallyequal to the height of said side walls, said flange means further comprising a panel extending between said flaps and downwardly from said upper boundary below said rim, means securing said panel in said position, means securing said flaps to said side walls, said top having a top wall and depending, integral side and end walls, the side walls of said top being bounded by lower edges in abutting relationship to said rim, said side and end walls of said top having a greater height than the height of said flange means above said rim, whereby said top wall is spaced substantially above said flange means upper boundary.

8. A fiber board coffin comprising a bottom and a top, said bottom having a bottom wall and integral upstanding side and end walls, said side walls each comprising a rim extending therealong parallel to said bottom wall and between said end walls, and flange means inwardly of said rim, said flange means each extending between said end walls and having an upper boundary parallel to and above said rim, means securing said side and end walls and said flange means in said respective positions, said coflin bottom having a maximum of two thickness of said fiber board at any wall thereof, said top having a top wall and depending, integral side and end walls, the side walls of said top being bounded by lower edges in abutting relationship to said rim, said side and end walls of said top having a greater height than the height of said flange means above said rim, whereby said top wall is spaced substantially above said flange means upper boundary.

9. A fiber board coffin bottom comprising a bottom wall and integral upstanding side and end walls, said side walls each comprising a rim extending therealong parallel to said bottom wall and between and below the tops of said end walls, flange means inwardly of said rim, said flange means each extending between said end walls and having an upper boundary parallel to said rim at the level of the tops of said end walls, each said flange means comprising a flap integral with each one of said end walls of length substantially equal to the height of the side walls, each said flange means further comprising a panel extending between said flaps and downwardly from said upper boundary below said rim, and means securing said panel and said flaps to said side walls.

10. The fiber board cofiin bottom of claim 9 and harware elements on said coffin bottom, and bolts securing said hardware elements to said cofiin body, said bolts passing through said side walls, said flaps and said flange means and thereby constituting said securing means.

11. The fiber board cofiin bottom of claim 9 and a pair of handles secured to each side wall of said coflin bottom,

at least one bolt for each said handle extending through a side wall and a flap and at least one bolt for each said handle extending through the said side wall and the thereadjacent panel, said bolts constituting said securing means.

12. A fiber board coffin bottom made from a substantially rectangular blank and a pair of separate panels; said bottom comprising a bottom wall, side walls, and end walls all integral and obtained by erecting said blank, said end walls being higher than and abutting said side walls, flange means positioned inwardly of and adjacent each said side wall and having upper and lower boundaries above and below, respectively, the upper boundaries of said side walls, said flange means comprising said two separate panels, and means securing said flange means and walls in said position, whereby to provide a cofiin bottom having side walls with rims defined by the upper boundaries of the side walls, and obtained from a substantially rectangular blank, and flange means inwardly of said rims.

13. The structure of claim 12, and a top for said coflin bottom made from a substantially rectangular blank and having depending side walls of greater height than the height of the portion of said flange means which extends above the upper boundary of the coffin bottom side walls, said side walls of said top resting on the upperboundaries of said side walls of said bottom.

14. A fiber board coffin as set forth in claim 7, said coflin body and top comprising fiber board having planar layers between which are corrugated layers.

15. A fiber board coffin, as set forth in claim 7, said top being formed from a rectangular blank References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,807,770 6/1931 Beaman 27--35 2,392,298 1/1946 Thommen 272 2,859,906 11/1958 Guyer 229-43 X 2,917,219 12/1959 Schimel 229-43 X FOREIGN PATENTS 349,464 3/1922 Germany. 664,539 3/1937 Germany.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner, 

9. A FIBER BOARD COFFIN BOTTOM COMPRISING A BOTTOM WALL AND INTEGRAL UPSTANDING SIDE AND END WALLS, SAID SIDE WALLS EACH COMPRISING A RIM EXTENDING THEREALONG PARALLEL TO SAID BOTTOM WALL AND BETWEEN AND BELOW THE TOPS OF SAID END WALLS, FLANGE MEANS INWARDLY OF SAID RIM, SAID FLANGE MEANS EACH EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID END WALLS AND HAVING AN UPPER BOUNDARY PARALLEL TO SAID RIM AT THE LEVEL OF THE TOPS OF SAID END WALLS, EACH SAID FLANGE MEANS COMPRISING A FLAP INTEGRAL WITH EACH ONE OF SAID END WALLS OF LENGTH SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE HEIGHT OF THE SIDE WALLS, EACH SAID FLANGE MENS FURTEHR COMPRISING A PANEL EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID FLAPS AND DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID UPPER BOUNDARY BELOW SAID RIM, AND MEANS SECURING SAID PANEL AND SAID FLAPS TO SAID SIDE WALLS. 